Apparatus for making cigarettes

ABSTRACT

A machine for making cigarettes from empty filter tip cigarette tubes and from tobacco cartridges consisting of compressed tobacco contained in a thin sheath of cellulose film or other non-consumable material, the length of the cartridge being slightly greater than that of the cigarette tube. A cartridge is inserted into a cigarette tube, and the combination is slid along a trough and pushed against a stop. The stop, which is carried by a long rod coaxial with the trough, prevents movement of the tobacco while allowing movement of the sheath past the stop. The sheath is then stripped off by a slider which slides back and forth along the rod, thus leaving the tobacco in the cigarette tube.

United States Patent [1 1 Bramhill Dec. 23, 1975 [54] APPARATUS FORMAKING CIGARETI'ES 3,834.399 9/1974 Beam l3l/3 [75] Inventor: Percy W.Bramhill, Dollard des-Ormeaux, Canada 52 F 0 gg 'f t a'fuw- MiChe"szsram ammer- I ll] [73 Asslgnee: g zgr can d Llmited Attorney, Agent,or FirmRogers, Bereskin & Parr [22] Filed: July 3, 1974 57 ABSTRACT PPN04 485,670 A machine for making cigarettes from empty filter tipRelated Us. Application Data cigarette tubes and from tobacco cartridgesconsisting of compressed tobacco contained in a thin sheath of [62] g g'r g 334383 cellulose film or other non-consumable material, the lengthof the cartridge being slightly greater than that [52] US Cl. 131 [31/3Ullno R of the cigarette tube. A cartridge is inserted into a cig- [5 I]Int E: 5 A24C 5/54 arette tube, and the combination is slid along atrough 581 Field of Search 131/70 3 170 R and Pushed against a The is bya long rod coaxial with the trough, prevents move- 56 Re ment of thetobacco while allowing movement of the 1 ED sheath past the stop. Thesheath is then stripped off by u S a slider which slides back and forthalong the rod, thus 3 :iaron leavi g the tobacco in the cigarette tube.elnungen. 3,765,423 10mm Kim BN3 2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figllm US. PatentDec. 23, 1975 Sheet 0f2 3,927,681

U.S. Patent Dec. 23, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,927,681

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CIGARETTES This is a division of application Ser.No. 334,983, filed Feb. 23, 1973 now US. Pat. No. 3,822,710.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing home-madecigarettes.

Home-made cigarettes have long appealed to many smokers. One of thereasons for this appeal has been the desire on the part of some users toperform additional steps in the smoking routine, which desire isgratified by becoming involved in the manufacturing operation. Anotherreason for the appeal of homemade cigarettes has been theirtraditionally lower cost, since the unfinished materials are generallytaxed at a much lower rate than finished cigarettes. However, presentmachines for manufacturing home-made cigarettes have had thedisadvantage that they are relatively expensive, difficult to use, andthe cigarettes are often imperfectly made and smoke poorly. In addition,present machines readily allow introduction of noxious or illegalpowdered substances into the tobacco.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amethod and apparatus for making homemade cigarettes, in which themachine required is extremely simple, inexpensive and easy to use, andin which the finished cigarette is virtually indistinguishable from afactory-made cigarette. In addition, the method of the invention allowslittle possiblity for introduction of noxious or illegal powderedsubstances into the tobacco.

To this end, the invention provides in one aspect apparatus forinserting, into an empty cigarette tube having a first internal diameterand having one end blocked by a filter tip, the tobacco contained in acylindrical cartridge of non-consumable material, said cartridgeincluding a thin exterior sheath enclosing and compressing said tobacco,said sheath being of length greater than that of said cigarette tube andhaving a second external diameter slightly less than said first internaldiameter, said apparatus comprising:

I. means defining an elongated trough of curved cross-section forsupporting said cigarette tube for sliding motion therealong and havinga first end into which said cigarette tube may be introduced and asecond end towards which said cigarette tube may be slid;

2. an elongated rod having a first end, and a second free end locatedadjacent said second end of said trough, means supporting said secondend of said rod and locating said rod in a position coaxial with saidtrough, the diameter of said rod being substantially less than theinternal diameter of said sheath;

3. a stop member carried at said second end of said rod and having adiameter slightly less than the internal diameter of said sheath, forpreventing movement of said tobacco past said second end of said rodwhile permitting movement of said sheath past said second end of saidrod;

4. and a slider on said rod and slidable between the ends thereof, saidslider having a central elongated cylindrical member coaxial with saidrod, said cylindrical member having an external diameter slightly lessthan the internal diameter of said sheath, said slider also includinggripping means fixed thereto, said gripping means having a grippingsurface normally located adjacent the end of said cylindrical member andspaced therefrom, to allow movement of said sheath between saidcylindrical member and said gripping surface, said gripping means beingactuable to press said gripping surface against said cylindrical memberto grip said sheath therebetween; whereby said cigarette tube with saidtobacco cartridge therein can be slid along said trough against saidstop member and pushed until said sheath projects over said cylindricalmember of said slider, and said gripping means can then be closed topress said gripping surface against said sheath and said slider can thenbe withdrawn along said rod to strip said sheath from said tobacco.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method of making acigarette, comprising 1. inserting into an empty cigarette tube, of thekind having one end blocked by a filter tip, a tobacco cartridgeconsisting of compressed tobacco contained in a thin sheath ofnon-consumable low friction material, the length of said tobaccocartridge being slightly greater than the length of said cigarette tube,so that a portion of said tobacco cartridge projects beyond the otherend of said cigarette tube;

2. compressing the tobacco in said tobacco cartridge back at least asfar as said other end of said cigarette tube, so that a portion of saidsheath alone extends past said other end of said cigarette tube;

3. gripping such projecting portion of said sheath;

4. and pulling on said projecting portion of said sheath whilepreventing movement of said tobacco, whereby to strip said sheath fromsaid tobacco, leaving said tobacco in said cigarette tube.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tobacco cartridge according to theinvention in position to be inserted into a cigarette tube;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cigarette making machine according tothe invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the machine of FIG. 2, takenalong lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic sectional views showing the variousstages of manufacture of a cigarette according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a portion of the machine of FIG. 2, takenalong lines 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a membrane of the FIG. 2 machine; and

FIG. 9 is an end view of the cigarette tube inserter of FIG. 7 with atobacco cartridge partly inserted therein, and showing the FIG. 8membrane partly open.

The raw material which is used by the machine of the invention toproduce cigarettes is shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the machine usesstandard empty cigarette tubes indicated at 2 in FIG. 1 and typicallyhaving a filter tip 4 (such cigarette tubes are available in all tobaccoshops), and it also uses tobacco cartridges shown at 6. The tobaccocartridges 6 are rods of compressed tobacco 8 enclosed in a sheath 10 ofthin, low friction, non-consumable material. The term non-consumable"material as used herein means a material which would not normally besmoked by a smoker.

The material forming the sheath 10 should be heat scalable or gluable,and it has been found that the coated cellulose film sold under thetrade mark Cellophane" by the Dupont Company is an excellent materialfor the sheath.

The length D1 of the tobacco cartridges 6 is slightly greater than thelength D2 of the empty portion of the cigarette tube 2 and the externaldiameter D3 of the tobacco cartridge 6 is slightly less than theinternal diameter D4 of the cigarette tube 2. This allows a tobaccocartridge 6 to be inserted into a cigarette tube 2 to fill the cigarettetube and with the end of the tobacco cartridge projecting slightlybeyond the end of the cigarette tube 2.

Reference is next made to FIGS. 2 and 3, which show a preferredcigarette machine 12 according to the invention. The cigarette machine12 includes a base 14 (which can be metal or plastic) having a trough 16formed at one end thereof. The trough 16 is semi-circular incross-section, with a radius of curvature the same as the externalradius of the cigarette tube 2 (plus a slight clearance). At the righthand end of the trough 16, there is provided an optional cover 18 formedintegral with the base 14. The cover 18 helps to guide and hold down thecigarette tube 2 during the forming operation, as will be described.

The right hand end of the trough 16 is defined by a vertical wall 22which extends down substantially below the level of the bottom of thetrough. The wall 22 meets a horizontal wall 24 which extends to theright to an upstanding support 26 at the right hand end of the machine.The walls 22 and 24 and the support 26 together define a cutout 28 inthe base.

Located in the cutout 28 is a small diameter elongated rod 30, typicallyof metal. The right hand end of the rod 30 is securely anchored in thesupport 26 (e.g. by a press fit or by a set screw 32), while the lefthand end of the rod 30 carries a fixed disc-shaped stop 34. The rod 30and stop 34 are arranged coaxially with the trough 16, and the axiallength of the stop 34 is made very small (typically 1/16 inch). As bestshown in FIG. 3, the rod 30 extends to the left sufficiently that thesurface 36 of the stop which faces the support 26 is typically flushwith the wall 22.

Positioned on the rod 30 is a slider generally indicated at 38. Theslider 38 includes a narrow base 40 of generally square shape as viewedaxially, and a cylindrical extension 42 projecting towards the stop 34.The cylindrical extension 42 carries, at its end adjacent the stop 34, acircumferential groove 44.

The slider 38 also includes a pair of spring fingers 46 attached toopposed sides of the base 40 by screws 48. The spring fingers 46 (whichare preferably made of spring metal or the like) extend from the base 38along the cylindrical extension 42 and diverge slightly outwardly fromthe extension 42. The fingers 46 then terminate in gripping ends 50which extend inwardly towards the groove 44. The free edges of thegripping ends 50 are arcuate as indicated at 52, to conform to thecurvature of the groove 44, so that the edges 52 can be pressed into thegroove 44 with a maximum length of contact between the edges 52 and thegroove 44.

The external diameter of the stop 34 is made slightly smaller than theinternal diameter of the sheath for the tobacco cartridges, and thediameter of the cylindrical extension 42 is preferably the same as thatof the stop 34.

The operation of the machine as so far described will next be explained,with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

In use of the cigarette machine, the first procedure is to insert atobacco cartridge 6 into an empty cigarette tube 2. The cigarettemachine of FIG. 2 includes means to facilitate this operation, as willbe described, but for the moment it will be assumed that this operationhas been completed. Next, the cigarette tube 2 with the tobaccocartridge 6 therein is inserted into the trough 16 and pushed towardsthe stop 34 until the end of the tobacco cartridge 6 abuts against thestop 34. This situation is shown in FIG. 4.

The cigarette tube 2 is next pushed further forward in the direction ofarrow A, as shown in FIG. 5, compressing the tobacco 8 against the stop34 and causing the sheath 10 to move forwardly over the stop 34.Movement of the cigarette tube 2 in the direction of arrow A iscontinued until the exterior surface 54 of stop 26 enters the cigarettetube 2 to a limited extent. Typically the cigarette tube 2 will be movedforward until its end is flush with the wall 22 of the cigarettemachine, the wall 22 thus serving as a convenient guide to the user.

Next, the slider 38 is moved along the rod 30 towards the stop 34 untilthe end of the cylindrical extension 42 abuts against the stop 34. Thissituation is also shown in FIG. 5.

Next, the user squeezes the two spring fingers 46 together until theedges 52 of the gripping ends 50 press the exposed end of the sheath l0tightly into the groove 44. With the spring fingers 46 continuing togrip the sheath 10, the slider 38 is then withdrawn in the direction ofarrow 8 (FIG. 6), stripping the sheath 10 from the tobacco 8 and leavingthe tobacco inside the cigarette tube 2. Movement of the tobacco in thedirection of arrow B is prevented by the stop 34. The rod 30 ispreferably made long enough so that the slider can strip the sheath l0completely clear of the cigarette tube 2, with a reasonable clearance,but this is not essential since the cigarette tube 2 can be pulledbackwards to complete the stripping after the sheath 10 has been mostlystripped from the tobacco 8.

Once positioned in the cigarette tube 2, the tobacco 8 will expand tofill the tube 2 snugly, as in a factorymade cigarette. This occurs forthe following reasons. Firstly, the diameter of the tobacco sheath 10 isnearly equal to the internal diameter of the cigarette tube 2 (thedifference in diameters being typically 0.0125 inches), and in additionthe sheath 10 is made of very thin material (typically between 0.001 and0.00125 inches), so that the diameter of the tobacco 8 in the tobaccocartridge 6 is nearly equal to the internal diameter of the cigarettetube 2. Since the tobacco 8 is compressed to some degree inside thesheath 10, the tobacco expands as soon as it is released from thesheath. In addition, the tobacco cartridge 6 is made longer than thecigarette tube 2 (as can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5). As the cigarettetube 2 is moved in the direction of arrow A, pressing the tobacco 8against the stop 34, the tobacco is compressed axially, and after it hasbeen released into the cigarette tube 2, it expands, filling thecigarette tube. (Preferably the cartridge is between 0.15 and 0.2 incheslonger than the empty tube.) Since the expansion may require time, it isdesirable to leave the newly filled cigarette tubes for about a daybefore smoking to allow time for the expansion.

The tobacco cartridges 6 are typically made on conventional automaticcigarette making machines, and it is found that such machines have nodifficulty in handling heat sealing or thermo-plastic materials such as"Cellophane" cellulose film in the same manner as conventional cigarettepaper. The moisture content of the tobacco used should be fairly high(12% to 13.5%) to reduce the likelihood of the tobacco crumbling andfalling from the cartidges or completed cigarettes.

Since the tobacco cartridges are of nearly the same diameter as thecigarette tubes, it is found that it can be extremely difficult toinsert the tobacco cartridges into the cigarette tubes manually. if theend of the cigarette tube becomes distorted then the user will not beable to insert the tobacco cartridge, and if the user when inserting thetobacco cartridge bends the edge of the cigarette tube, then again theuser will have difficulty in completing the insertion.

To deal with this problem, the cigarette machine of the invention ispreferably equipped with insertion means best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8(and also shown in FIG. 2) to facilitate insertion of the tobaccocartridge into the cigarette tube. The insertion means includes acylindrical cigarette tube receiver 60 and a cylindrical tobaccocartridge receiver 62 aligned coaxially in a bore 64 of a projection 66from the base 14. The projection 66, which is typically molded or formedintegrally with the base 14, also serves as a support for the base, toprevent the base from tipping over during use. The receivers 60, 62 areheld in the bore 64 by a press fit or by set screws 67. v

The cigarette tube receiver 62 has a bore 68 having an internal diameteraccurately equal to the external diameter of the cigarette tube 2, witha very slight clearance to allow movement of the cigarette tube therein.The entrance to the bore 68 is tapered smoothly and gently outwardly asindicated at 70, to guide the cigarette tube 2 into the bore 68 even ifthe end of the cigarette tube 2 is slightly out of round.

The tobacco cartridge receiver 62 has a bore 72 of diameter accuratelyequal to that of the tobacco cartridge 6 (plus a slight clearance), witha smoothly and gently tapered entrance surface 74 to guide the tobaccocartridge into the bore 72. The cartridge receiver bore 72 is slightlysmaller than the cigarette tube receiver bore 68, and the two bores arealigned coaxially.

Located between the cigarette tube receiver 60 and the tobacco cartridgereceiver 62 is a cartridge inserter membrane 76. The membrane 76 is madeof a thin, tough, flexible, springy material and it is found that wovenglass fibre material (such as that sold under the trade markFiberglass"), impregnated with the plastic sold under the trade markTeflon", is particularly suitable for this purpose.

As shown in FIG. 8, the membrane 76 includes eight radial cuts 78 (thenumber can vary) radiating from the centre of the membrane andpreferably equally spaced. The cuts extend part way to the edge of themembrane and are each of length (from the centre of the membrane to theedge of the cut) at least slightly greater than the radius of the bore68 of the cigarette tube receiver 60. The cuts 78 thus define a numberof generally triangular leaves 80 in the membrane. The membrane 76 isclamped tightly between the cigarette tube receiver 60 and the tobaccocartridge receiver 62.

In operation, an empty cigarette tube 2 is inserted into the cigarettetube receiver 60, and is slid to a position in which its end abutsagainst the membrane 76, as shown in FIG. 7. The cigarette tube slidesno further than this, because the tobacco cartridge receiver 62 whichsits behind the membrane 76, has a smaller bore than that of thecigarette tube receiver 60 and backs up the membrane 76.

Next, a tobacco cartridge 6 is slid into the tobacco cartridge receiver62, as also shown in FIG. 7. The tobacco cartridge 6 is pushed into themembrane and through the membrane, forcing the leaves 80 of the membraneto open as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 7 and as also shown in FIG.9. The leaves of the membrane act as a funnel, opening over the edge ofthe cigarette tube 2 and guiding the tobacco cartridge 6 into thecigarette'tube.

After the tobacco cartridge 6 has been slid part way into the cigarettetube 2, so that the end of the tobacco cartridge extends past theentrance of the cigarette tube receiver 60, the cigarette tube with thetobacco cartridge partly inserted therein is grasped at a position wherethe user can press on the tobacco cartridge through the cigarette tube.The partly assembled cigarette tube and tobacco cartridge are thenwithdrawn in the direction of arrow C. The tobacco cartridge, which isnow partly inserted into the cigarette tube, is simply tapped to push itfully into the cigarette tube, and the assembly is then inserted in thetrough 16 for removal of the sheath 10, as previously described. Theleaves 80, which are quite springy, return substantially to the flatposition shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

It will be appreciated that various changes may be made in the inventionas described. For example, although the sheath 10 has been described asbeing of Cellophane", it will be appreciated that other nonconsumablematerials can be used, so long as they have low surface frictioncharacteristics to facilitate transfer of the tobacco from the sheath 10into the cigarette tubes. For example, other kinds of plastic film maybe used, such as oriented polypropylene. However, the material usedshould be of a kind that is workable on present day automatic cigarettemaking machines and should be of sufficient tensile strength that it canbe stripped from the tobacco cartridge without tearing.

Although the slider 38 has been described as having two spring fingers,one finger only could be used if desired, and if desired a high frictiongripper can be used instead of pressing the tobacco cartridge sheath 10into a groove. However, two grippers are preferred, since thisfacilitates stripping the sheath, and the groove 44 in the slider isalso preferred since it enables positive gripping of the sheath 10.

Although the cigarette tube receiver 60, tobacco cartridge receiver 62and membrane 76 have been described for use in inserting a tobaccocartridge into a cigarette tube, it will be appreciated that thisstructure can be used in other circumstances where it is desired toinsert a cylindrical cartridge into a fragile and close fittingcylindrical container.

It will be seen that the apparatus of the invention allows a user toperform some steps towards the making of his own cigarettes, thusgratifying the user's need for mechanical involvement in the process,while at the same time permitting the user to produce a cigarette thatis virtually indistinguishable from a factory-made cigarette. The costof the home-made cigarette so produced will generally be less than thatof factory-made cigarettes, because of the lower taxes applying to rawtobacco and to empty cigarette tubes, and in addition the apparatus andmethod of the invention virtually prevent introduction of improperpowdered substances into the tobacco by the user.

The apparatus of the invention can also be used with non-filter tiptubes, by holding the end of the tobacco cartridge and cigarette tubealigned by means of a finger or other obstacle. However, this would besomewhat inconvenient, and the invention is primarily intended for usewith filter tip tubes.

If desired, the sheaths of the tobacco cartridges 6 may be perforatedover their entire length and circumference with a large number ofclosely spaced small holes. These holes render smoking of the cartridge6 itself impossible (since when the intending smoker sucks in, he willdraw air in through the holes instead of through the burning end),thereby preventing misuse of the cartridges.

What I claim is:

l. A method of making cigarettes, comprising:

l. inserting into an empty cigarette tube, of the kind having one endblocked by a filter tip, a tobacco cartridge consisting of compressedtobacco contained in a thin sheath of non-consumable low frictionmaterial, the length of said tobacco cartridge being slightly greaterthan the length of said cigarette tube, so that a portion of saidtobacco cartridge projects beyond the other end of said cigarette tube;

2. compressing the tobacco in said tobacco cartridge back at least asfar as said other end of said cigarette tube, so that a portion of saidsheath alone extends past said other end of said cigarette tube;

3. gripping such projecting portion of said sheath;

4. and creating relative separating movement between said projectingportion of said sheath and said tobacco, whereby to strip said sheathfrom said tobacco, leaving said tobacco in said cigarette tube.

2. A method of making cigarettes, comprising:

1. inserting into an empty cigarette tube, of the kind having one endblocked by a filter tip, a tobacco cartridge consisting of compressedtobacco contained in a thin sheath of non-consumable low frictionmaterial, the length of said tobacco cartridge being slightly greaterthan the length of said cigarette tube, so that a portion of saidtobacco cartridge projects beyond the other end of said cigarette tube;

2. compressing the tobacco in said tobacco cartridge back at least asfar as said other end of said cigarette tube, so that a portion of saidsheath alone extends past said other end of said cigarette tube;

3. gripping such projecting portion of said sheath;

4. and pulling on said projecting portion of said sheath whilepreventing movement of said tobacco, whereby to strip said sheath fromsaid tobacco,

leaving said tobacco in said cigarette tube.

i IF i i

1. A method of making cigarettes, comprising:
 1. inserting into an emptycigarette tube, of the kind having one end blocked by a filter tip, atobacco cartridge consisting of compressed tobacco contained in a thinsheath of nonconsumable low friction material, the length of saidtobacco cartridge being slightly greater than the length of saidcigarette tube, so that a portion of said tobacco cartridge projectsbeyond the other end of said cigarette tube;
 2. compressing the tobaccoin said tobacco cartridge back at least as far as said other end of saidcigarette tube, so that a portion of said sheath alone extends past saidother end of said cigarette tube;
 3. gripping such projecting portion ofsaid sheath;
 4. and creating relative separating movement between saidprojecting portion of said sheath and said tobacco, whereby to stripsaid sheath from said tobacco, leaving said tobacco in said cigarettetube.
 2. compressing the tobacco in said tobacco cartridge back at leastas far as said other end of said cigarette tube, so that a portion ofsaid sheath alone extends past said other end of said cigarette tube; 2.A method of making cigarettes, comprising:
 2. compressing the tobacco insaid tobacco cartridge back at least as far as said other end of saidcigarette tube, so that a portion of said sheath alone extends past saidother end of said cigarette tube;
 3. gripping such projecting portion ofsaid sheath;
 3. gripping such projecting portion of said sheath;
 4. andcreating relative separating movement between said projecting portion ofsaid sheath and said tobacco, whereby to strip said sheath from saidtobacco, leaving said tobacco in said cigarette tube.
 4. and pulling onsaid projecting portion of said sheath while preventing movement of saidtobacco, whereby to strip said sheath from said tobacco, leaving saidtobacco in said cigarette tube.